Jump In
by KB412
Summary: Will Solace and his friends created a band. Trying to write some music in the park, he saw a few people jump into the lake, and he caught the attention of a boy who didn't go in. Enjoying each others company, they promise to see each other again. But when the band leader Zoe Nightshade, makes some rules about no one being allowed to date, well damn, he really liked that boy.
1. New Rules

**WILL**

Will tapped his pencil against his notebook. The tune was in his head all day and he couldn't wait to tell Zoe, the band leader, about it. Zoe had a beautiful voice, but give her an instrument and it blurted out the wonderful sounds of a dying whale. Will continued to write the lyrics to go with the tune, trying to rhyme the words that had nothing to do with the song, and crossing out lyrics that have been used before.

A wind blew across Will's face and open jacket, shivering, he zipped up the blue jacket his father gave him. Touchy subject, his father, but that's something that needs to be saved for later. Will looked out over the lake at the small park, leaves slowly drifting down form the already scarce branches.

SPLOSH!

Will looked up at the lake, towards the pier, where people were gathered. Some_ idiot _decided to jump in! In October!

"C'mon! Jump in!" the guy who jumped in called to his friends, "Live a little!"

"Unlike you, Percy, we don't want to catch hypothermia!"

Will found himself writing the words down,_ jump in_ and _live a little. _He continued to spy on the group, rather interested by them.

"Come on, Wise girl!" the guy, Percy, called out. W_hat kind of name is Wise Girl? _Will thought.

"Jason!" Percy yelled, "Bro! Join me!"

The guy Will assumed to be Jason said, "Sorry, guys, can't turn a bro down!" He removed his shirt to reveal, much to Will's pleasure, a very toned stomach. He kissed the girl next to him and jumped in, splashing Percy in the process. They high-fived and continued to peer pressure their friends into jumping in, which everyone did, except one.

"Come in Nico!" The girl Percy called Hazel taunted, "unless you're scared!"

The others oohed at the horrible taunt, snickering at the two, Nico, the only one who didn't jump other the cliff with the others took off his shoes and sat down, sticking his toes in.

"Boo!" Percy yelled, "You're no fun!"

"Exactly why I'm not going to get sick" Nico stuck his tounge out, and then looked right at Will. They locked eyes for a bit before Will broke, looking away blushing. He looked back and Nico was still watching him, he lifted his hand and made a _come here_ motion with it. Will looked to his left and right before looking back, pointing at his chest mouthing _Me?_ Nico shook his head lightly as if to say _who else_ before nodding making bigger hand motions.

Will stood up and walked over, not really knowing what he was doing, he didn't know this person! What if they were like fourteen or something? The boy was rather short, he didn't want Nico's friends to arrest him thinking he was a sex offender or something, he _was_ nineteen. He got to the end of the pier and sat down, criss-cross applesauce, holding the notebook in his lap.

"Enjoying the show?" Nico asked, nodding to the teens in the lake.

"They are pretty ridiculous, going in the water with it being so cold" Will smiled at him.

"They're always being idoits together."

"But not you?"

"Yup! I'm the mature one! Even if I'm one of the youngest." he said, "so why are you here, we've established that my friends are being idoits, but what about you?"

"I'm writing a song, or at least trying to," When Nico looked confused, Will disclosed his sentence by saying "I'm in a band, nothing big, we get a few gigs now and then, we write songs, but people mostly just want covers of other songs."

"I guess that would suck, coming up with something you thought was cool but no one wanting to listen to it because you aren't famous or big."

"It's like you get me or something." Will put on a look of fake astonishment which made Nico smile, even if it was just the corner of his lip moving upwards. Will decided that he liked making Nico smile.

"Oh! I forgot to mention, my name's Will!" He stuck out his hand, giving Nico a lopsided grin. Nico grabbed his hand and gave it a good shake, which sent electricity up and down Will's entire body.

"Nico, but I guess you already knew that because of the big-mouth a call friend."

"Wait, which one?" Will joked, "They were all the loudest people I've seen, or heard." making Nico smile was the best thing, probably better then music itself. Will was about to say something when his phone jingled the jingle he set to be Zoe's jingle.

"Yes?" He asked into the phone.

"Will?"

"Who else?"

"It is me, Zoe!" Well no duh.

"Obviously!"

"Sorry!"

Zoe was still getting used to the technical world, her adoptive mother went around to third-world countries helping people and what not, it was a good noble cause, but when she comes back, well, she's still impressed by 3D movies.

"Look," she continued, "where are you? I do not see you by your tree!"

"Why are you picking me up anyway?"

"Mandatory band meeting!"

"Alright, and I was at the pier, I'm hanging up now!" Will hung up. "Sorry about that, uh, I have to go, I guess, see you later, maybe?"

"Yeah sure, uh, we, my friends and I, I mean, come here every Saturday, Percy complains too much if we don't"

Will walked away, not noticing that Nico's friends were swimming back to the pier to ask Nico questions, mainly about who his new friend was.

Will opened his notebook, writing a few new verses in his song. He bumped into Zoe, however.

"Come on!" she yelled, "Everyone is already there!"

"OK everyone, order, order!" Zoe yelled, "Cecil, put my bow down! That's from Africa!"

Will rolled his eyes, Zoe acted as if someone put a stick up her butt, Cecil, was somewhat mature, it's not like he was going to break it over his knee or something.

"OK, so I have decided that this band needs to establish a few rules so we can keep _some_ under and form of concentration."

Zoe looked out at everyone to see if one of them would oppose her. When it looked like on one did, she gave a nod and continued. "Rule one! When we go to a gig, no one can get drunk! We will not have another accident like the one in New Jersey again!" She said, purposely looking at Cecil, who looked smug. "Rule two! I have to decide what gigs we do and not do, I do not want us randomly selecting gigs." She stressed her I's, the only reason she was in charge was because she was oldest and lead singer, becoming a band wasn't even her idea, the band just need a singer.

"And last but not least, rule three, no dating outside the band!"

*Authors Note*

Hi there! that's the first chapter, yay! I know Nico calling someone over is a little (a Lot) out of character and a little unrealistic, but just go with it. comment if you want me to write an other chapter, or do a whole story.


	2. Cards

**NICO**  
>Nico had no idea what he just did. Why would he call some random guy over? He was normally so antisocial, he had ten friends, and even that seemed like a lot to him.<p>

Nico sat on the end of the pier slightly stunned by his actions, he tried to convince himself that he just wanted to interrogate the guy for watching a random group of kids, but he couldn't, it was like something made him call that guy, Will, over.

He looked at his hand, which still felt like it at been electrocuted, and a round of skeleton butterflies (because regular butterflies were girly) was set around his stomach for what seemed like the hundredth time. His friends where asking him something, but he couldn't hear them as he thought of the guy who was in a band. Who made him smile, which was a very rare thing, who he promised that they would meet up again.

And that's when it hit him.

He cursed in Italian, he practically promised some guy that they would meet up again, here! Of all places!

"Nico?" It was Hazel, she grabbed his foot, as to not get his pants wet, "Are you okay?"

The rest went quite, seeing that Hazel would be the only one who could get through to him.

"Yeah," he lied smoothly, "just a little surprised at my actions."

"Let's get out of this water, I'm freezing!" Piper said, rubbing her arms.

"I, for one, think we should get food." Leo said, "How about Mickey-D"s!"

"Leo, no one calls it that anymore." Annabeth said.

"Well, I do, and I'll bring it back!"

"Really? How are you going to do that?" Jason teased.

"I'll make a thing and it'll explode at lunch with little pieces of paper with the words "Mickey-D's" on it, and everyone will get a sandwich!"

"Uh-huh, with what money?" Frank rolled his eyes at the antics of the poor boy everyone decided to gang up on.

"Well, uh, I could ask, uh-"

"Let's go already!" Percy whined, "Leo's plan of give out hamburgers made me hungry!"

"If the only thing you eat is junk food you'll get fat!" Annabeth scolded him. The banter went back and forth as they got out and wrapped their shivering bodies up with the towels Percy's mom provided for them.

Nico put his shoes on as everyone started walking back, his face blank. Hazel was the only one who waited for him, giving him a worried glance, he smiled sadly at her, mouthing an I'll tell you later. He draped his arm over her and she grabbed his dangling hand, both content with not talking, even if she would force him to spill later.

They exited the park that little people knew about (most people went to Central Park) that had become somewhat of their park, it wasn't technically, but it might as well have been seeing how little people ever went, even on Saturdays. They found a McDonald's and Percy ordered what everyone usually got, no he didn't have it memorized! There was a post it on his sun visor, one for every restaurant they went to on a regular basis.

"whose house should we eat at?" Percy asked, and almost instantly and simultaneously everyone yelled, "Pipers!" even Percy even though he asked the question.

"Ugh, why do you guys always want to go to my house?" She whined, stressing the word "my".

"Because your house is ginormous, and your dad is never home!" Leo explained generously.

"The benefits of having rich friends!" Percy grinned cockily.

Nico rolled his eyes at his friends antics, how did he like a guy that was so immature? He picked a ten out of his pocket, and handed it to Jason, who passed it to Percy, who was collecting all the money to pay for everyone's food, except for Annabeth, Hazel and Piper, who had Percy, Frank and Jason paying for them. Leo and Nico were the only single guys, but Leo was asking Calypso out every other day, it was obvious they liked each other (which was why Calypso turning Leo down confused Nico, girls were weird, and that's all Nico had to say on the matter).

Percy and Annabeth bickered in the front seat about which direction would be better, and Leo and Jason were discussing what they know called "Operation Get the Mickey-D's Trend Back" with Piper shaking her head at them.

"So who was he?" Hazel asked quietly so one would hear.

"Will." Nico answered, his stomach twisting at the thought of him.

"He was cute. How do you feel about him?"

"He made me smile." Nico blushed slightly.

"Good, are you ever going to see him again?"

"I told him we came to the lake every Saturday, I don't know if he'll come."

"He seemed like a good person."

"He was."

And that was as far as the conversation got, because they arrived at Piper's mansion, no sorry, um, _summer home_. Piper didn't like being rich, it hardly let her see her dad, or at least, until her dad got kidnapped by some LA gangsters that called themselves Giants. Luckily, he got away, and the experience led him to appreciating the smaller things and his daughter.

Piper opened the door and led them inside, the fat cat her dad bought after bounding with it after a mobster movie. Yes, it was obnoxiously white and fluffy.

"Hi Nixon!" Piper called to the cat, who immediately went over to Frank, who attracted animals like moths to a light. Percy and Annabeth set the bags of food and drinks down on the every expensive marble counters.

"Let's eat!"

*******  
>Eventually, everyone made their way down to the mini movie theater that was covered in posters of movies Piper's dad had been in, along with some other good ones, like Star Wars (the Star Wars poster was the actual original poster, first one made, ever, singed by the cast and George Lucas).<p>

They watched a horror movie, picked out by Nico, of course, because for some reason they were letting him decide on everything, except where they went to eat but he would have chosen McDonalds anyway. He wanted to see have far they would let him do this and almost picked out a Meg Ryan movie, but decided against it, he didn't want to sit through that. The torture.

Everyone jumped as the bad guy jumped out at them, except for Nico, who had seen enough scary movies not to be effected by them, not that he was ever effected by them.

"I'm going to get more popcorn." He said to Leo, the only one who wasn't cuddling into someone else like life or death, even if Leo would grasp on to him from time to time in a joking manner. Leo was never really scared of horror movies either, finding the horrible CGI and plots unrealistic.

Nico stood up and quickly got out of Leo's view. He walked up the stairs, the mini movie theater was located in the basement, and went towards the kitchen, thinking about Will, even though they just meet, he effected Nico a lot, especially after everything that happened to him. Nico popped a bag into the microwave, glancing around the spotless kitchen, eyes landing on the kitchen knives, his stomach grew uneasy, and put his focus on his wrist, the scars partially showing, they faded, but only slightly. The microwave dinged and he grabbed the popcorn, going back to his friends.  
>*******<p>

Nico looked at Hazel's mom, a pretty woman who ran her ran a business selling fake charms and spells to ward off evil spirits, reading palms and so on. Hazel's mom was a gypsy who was actually good at it. She had a shop down in New Orleans, but someone invested in her, the only condition was that she had to live in Alaska, when on one bought her act up there, he moved her to New York, where business boomed. New York was filled with people who thought things like Ouija boards and palm readers were just fun little games. But Nico believed it, ghosts, afterlife, and all that crap no one believes. He had his palm read by Mrs. Levesque, she told him the past he already bared and the future that went untold, without telling her, she knew he had run away and adopted him, not legally, however.

Mrs. Levesque smiled at her children as they came in, sensing Nico's pain right away, Nico could see in her eyes when he came in, she knew something happened. She didn't ask, and she wouldn't, she let Hazel handle Nico, she was the only one he allowed in. Mrs. Levesque smiled and rubbed his cheek as he came in anyway, Hazel may have been the only one who could break through to him, but she was the only one who could hug and hold him without being pushed away. Something was seriously wrong if he did.

"Hungry?" She asked, pulling steaks out of the oven. It had always been something Mrs. Levesque and Hazel had done when they were struggling with money in New Orleans and Alaska if they got some sucker, um, costumer, to spend a lot of money on Mrs. Levesque's services.

"Good day?" Nico asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, now get your drinks and set the table for me, please." She said, laying the pan filled with meat on the stove. Nico and Hazel scurried around the small kitchen, avoiding hitting each other mostly because of how small they both were.

They sat around the small mahogany table, that wobbled every now and then, spending dinner listening to how Mrs. Levesque tricked a man into thinking he was cursed, hilarious really, but when Nico asked if she was worried if he would try to sue if he ever found out he'd been duped, Mrs. Levesque waved her hand.

"He probably just found this place on accident, New York is so big, he'll never find us again!" she laughed, cunning as always. "How's work?"

Nico worked at a music store at the Venus Mall, and Hazel got a job working at these stables somewhere out of the city, she only cleaned the stables, but she didn't care, as long as she was next to the horses.

"It's going well, Sammy said he was considering giving me a promotion!" Hazel beamed, she had learned how to ride horses in New Orleans and was an absolute natural at it, "It would only be teaching kids, but that's better than nothing!"

"That's fantastic, Hazel." Nico said proudly.

"And what about you Nico?" Mrs. Levesque repeated her question.

"Good, I hate it when little kids come in and play with the instruments though, if they break it they buy it." Nico said and Mrs. Levesque gave him a look that said she knew he was holding something back. "Drew hit on me again."

Mrs. Levesque nodded, satisfied, while Hazel gasped, "Not again!"

"Yeah, you'd think she'd get the hint." Nico stuck some steak in his mouth, "Good job, mom."

"Thank you, and why don't you just tell Drew you're not into her? Or girls in general?"

"I have, she just doesn't get it 'cause she's dense."

"Even if it's true don't call people names!" Mrs. Levesque said, sitting straight up like a queen.

Nico and Hazel snickered at their mother. She was something.

"Alright, alright, no laughing at the queen! Besides if you don't I'll send you to bed early without dessert."

"Yes Ma'am!" they both said quitting down as Mrs. Levesque got out some cake form the fridge.

For the rest of the night they spent at the wobble table playing cards, betting with pennies and nickels, the radio played a station that played forties music, and for the time being, they forgot their problems, just like they did in New Orleans.

"~~~~Author's note~~~~~

I tried to make this one longer, but they'll get longer the further down we go. Look! Nico has a mommy! I wanted Nico and Hazel to be siblings without the horrible "my dad slept with two different people and is now expecting me to live with this woman!" So I made them honorary siblings, and yes technically Nico is being kidnapped by Mrs. Levesque. (BTW, does anyone know her name? I don't want to keep calling her Mrs. Levesque), thanks for reading!


	3. McDonald's

**WILL**

"That's a stupid rule." Will said, Travis, the drummer, agreed.

"No it is not!" Zoe augured, "If you get in a relationship, your girlfriend or boyfriend keeps you distracted!"

"It's not like this is an official band, Zoe." Lou Ellen said, a little unsure.

"So? We need to concentrate! We need to get more gigs, get noticed!" she said, glancing around at the unsure band members, "I am leader so what I say goes!"

Lee, Lou Ellen, Travis, Cecil, and Will looked around at each other, why was Zoe being such a tyrant? Sure, she and her mom were asexual, but that didn't mean the rest of the band was.

Travis looked uncomfortable, only Will and Lee knew, but Travis had a girlfriend named Katie, and they had something.

Will tried again, "Zoe, you can't be serious, I mean, relationships are healthy, even romantic-"

"Just because you are studying to be a doctor does not mean you are one! This is only you are second year at college, you do not know that much." Zoe augured back.

"I don't need a PHD to know relationships are a good thing. I know you don't like, uh, sex, but that doesn't mean you've never fallen for somebody, right?" Will hit a sore spot.

"Love is stupid!" she yelled, "Love leaves you broken, and numb."

"Love is beautiful though, haven't you seen Jane Eyre?"

"Or any Disney movie?" Travis joked.

"Not now Trav," Lou Ellen patted his hand.

"Look, I am sorry, but rules are rules." Zoe said, she looked at her phone, checking the time, "And now I am late."

She swept out of the room, African bow in hand, her adoptive mother probably waiting for her.

"This sucks!" Cecil yelled.

"Does this mean I have to break up with Katie?" Travis asked to himself.

"Man, I was totally sending date-me vibes to this football player."

"I think I meet the love of my life today." Will said.

"What!" Everyone yelled, crowding around Will, waiting for story time.

"At the park, I was writing a song, and there were these kids jumping in the lake-"

"In the middle of October?" Lee interrupted.

"Shh!" Lou yelled, "Contnuie!"

"We'll all get sick!" Lee went on.

"Anyway," Will said, "one didn't go in, and we made eye-contact for I don't know how long, and he waved me over."

"And?" Lou Ellen strained.

"And we talked, Zoe called however and pulled me away for a meeting. He mentioned that he and his friends go to the lake every Saturday."

"Damn her!" Luo yelled.

"Calm down, hon." Cecil said.

"I am calm!"

"I don't know if I should go back, though." Will admitted.

"Go back! Go back, go back, go back, go back!"

"But these new rules-"

"I'm not breaking up with Katie because of them." Travis put in.

To which Will responded with, "Yeah, but you guys are already a thing."

"Zoe is cock-blocking, you met him before these new rules!" Lou Ellen declared

"What if he's not gay, or bi?"

"Will!" Lou Ellen whined, "I want to set you up with this guy!"

"You don't even know him that well."

"That's what dates are for!"

"Can we at least be friends first?"

"You could flirt with the guy." Cecil added.

Will looked to his brother, Lee, who had been quite until now, "Lee? What do you think I should do?"

"I don't like these rules," Lee rubbed his chin, "as second in charge, I should try to have everyone fallow the rules." Everyone looked disappointed at this, looking a little guilty, "But as your brother, I think you should do what makes you happy."

"Thanks bro." Will clapped his brother's shoulder, a plan about how he would woo this boy who stolen his heart after two minutes! Of course, he would keep the cheesy, romantic stuff to himself.

Will was again trying to write some lyrics, or at least some good ones, to the song he called _Jump In_. He didn't know what to write, and maybe a New York McDonalds at Lunchtime wasn't the best place to try and concentrate, but can you blame him? He was hungry!

He tapped the rhythm on his cup thinking _No, no, no, it rhymes, but hell has nothing to do with this song! Ugh._

Someone tapped his shoulder, making him jumping. He turned to see Nico snickering, and his heart stopped and then started to race. He Gave Nico a giant smile, glad to see him, smiling no else.

"Hey, mind if I sit with you?" Nico asked, snickers turning into a small smirk.

"Yeah, I mean no, I mean-" Will laughed at himself, "Yeah, you can sit."

"What's that?" Nico asked, setting his tray down.

Will looked down at the notebook, "Oh it's the song I'm working on, I have a serious case of writer's block and couldn't think of lyrics to save my life."

Nico took the book, which Will wouldn't let anyone do. And blushed as Nico read over it, raising an eyebrow at some points, and every so often looking at Will with said raised eyebrow.

"It's good," he said, to which Will let out a breath he didn't know he was holding in, "Needs work, though."

Will rolled his eyes, "Well, duh, why else would I be working non-stop on this?"

"Alright, fair enough, but don't try to focus too much on rhyming, if it doesn't flow first, it won't work." Nico advised.

"Cute rhyme, where'd you learn it?"

"Uh, well, uh, my dad-"Nico bit his lip.

"Daddy issues?" Will asked, when Nico nodded, Will added, "You don't have to say it then, I have daddy issues too."

"Nah, its fine, my dad was a music producer in LA, he discovered The Fates." Nico explained, biting a french fry. "I ran away after my sister died, she was dad's favorite, so he always blamed me for her death."

"I'm so sorry Nico." Will told him sincerely, "I lost a brother too, he went to war and got shoot, a medical soldier, always in the line of fire, trying to save everyone."

They sat there in a comfortable silence, Will taking Nico's advice to heart and trying to make it flow first. He looked up at Nico, who was also looking at him, they both blushed and looked away, and Will smiled a little, Nico was looking at him, and that's all he needed to decide he would put the moves on Nico.

"Tell me what you want to do, Nico." Will asked putting his pencil down and leaning back.

"I'm not really sure yet, I kinda want to work with bones."

"Like forensic science?" When Nico looked confused, Will went on, "it's like looking at bones and deciding if their male for female, their age, how they died, it's pretty cool stuff."

"That sounds perfect for me." Nico whispered.

"Death, bones, murder? What more could a young boy ask for!" Will said, mocking him.

"Shut up. What about you?"

"I'm studying to be a doctor."

"Ooh, college boy." Nico whistled.

"Hey it's only my second year, still got eight more to go!"

"I knew becoming a doctor took a long time, but ten years?"

""Well, they do have to cram a bunch of information into our heads before they send us out to give a guy a heart transplant!"

"I guess that's true, but I mean, ten years, that's like forever."

"It's not forever, and if I'm not up to it, I can just be a nurse!"

"Ew, and wear scrubs all the time?"

"What else would I wear?"

"Whose hella cool lab coats doctors wear."

Will gave a loud laugh at that, which caused people to give him strange looks. Nico smirked at him, taking a sip of his drink.

"Ya know, I'd have to wear scrubs at a surgery, right?"

"So? No one will see you except for the other guys in scrubs 'cause the guy in surgery will be knocked out!"

"So why does it matter if I don't wear a lab coat?"

"Beause scrubs look stupid."

Will shook his head, and took a sip of his drink, which was now empty.

"Need, a refill?" Will asked, standing up.

"Yeah, I had coke." Nico said handing Will his cup, when Will grabbed it, their hands touched and electricity shoot up Will's arm again. Will walked away smiling at the familiar feeling.

Yep, he definitely liked this kid.

Lou Ellen and Cecil came by the McDonalds to pick up Will for a band practice and had the honor of meeting Nico.

"You sure you're gonna be picked up?" Will asked, concerned.

"Nope, I'm gonna drive myself home because I'm a big boy." Sarcasm, sarcasm everywhere, "It's not like I expected to have lunch with a friend Will." When still wasn't convinced Nico got up and went to the parking lot to show Will his ride.

"It's a moped." Lou Ellen whispered in surprise.

Nico smiled at the teal moped with tan seating, "It was imported from Italy, My mom, sister and I pitched in to get it for my sixteenth birthday, cool right?"

"Sick." Cecil nodded his approval.

"Stop worrying, Will, I have a ride!" Nico sat on the seat, and gave a two finger salute, "Ciao."

And he left.

"Wow, your boyfriend's got a ride!" Lou Ellen bumped Will's shoulder.

"Please, he's not my boyfriend!" Will added, "Yet."

"My ship lives!" Lou Ellen fisted bumped the air, and Will shook his head.

"Wait," He said, "He didn't have a helmet!"

Cecil laughed at Will, "C'mon, Zoe'll get mad if we're later by even a second!"

Agreeing, they left, climbing into Lou Ellen's truck, and headed off towards band practice where Lieutenant Zoe would want to practice as much as they could in two hours.

Will growled at the lyrics that still didn't work, he followed Nico's advice, but now the song didn't make sense what so ever.

"Still working on the song?" Lou Ellen asked, eyes focused on the road.

"No, I was hoping I could present it today too, I just can't get it right!"

"What's it about?" Cecil questioned.

"Not really sure, just life and love." Will shrugged, "It's about the sun and hell, and everything really, I keep straying, writing whatever."

Lou hmm-ed a for a bit, "Maybe you should find something that means everything to you."

Nico instantly popped into his head, but he shook the thought away, Lou Ellen and Cecil came to his head next, but as he hummed the tune, nothing came together.

"I'll think of something later." He mumbled, looking out the window and people who painted themselves like statues and stood still. He could never stay still for so long, he couldn't stand the thought of not tapping his fingers to a random beat.

Again, Nico came into his head, his laughter filled Will's hears, electricity ran up and down his arm, churning his stomach, but in the best way imaginable. He smiled at the thought of Nico blushing, and was happy Nico stared at him.

Cecil and Lou Ellen smiled at their friend, glad he found someone.


	4. He likes me, he doesn't like me

__**NICO**

"-And that's why Holden headed out west to live as a deaf-mute. Please remember that the book reports will be due this Friday, before you go on break. You can pack up now." Mr. Blofis ended his presentation, closing the power point and clicking at some tabs on his computer.

Nico looked at his notes and saw them covered in little drawings of the normal things, such as skulls and cats (don't ask), and something different. In the corner of the sloppily taken notes, was a little drawing of Will. Nico found himself staring at the drawing he didn't realize he drew, until Jason sat in the seat next to him.

"Hey Nico." Jason smiled at him, but the hello made Nico jump slightly, and by that he jumped about ten feet, causing him to fall off his chair.

"Jesus, Jason! Don't scare me like that!" Nico scolded, taking his notes off the desk and putting them into his bag.

Jason put his arms up in surrender, "Hey, maybe you should be more aware of your surroundings, last time you didn't, Leo was able to cover you in glitter. By the way, who were you drawing?"

"I told you not to mention the glitter thing ever again! I don't see how throwing glitter on me showed me how Leo supported me being gay." Nico shuddered slightly, remembering all the glitter that was in his pant when he went to change for gym, "And who I was drawing is none of your concern."

"Oh come on! You can tell me!"

"Um. . ."

"Please? I'll take you to McDonald's!" Jason thought the bribe didn't work and was going to try again when Nico responded.

"It was that guy at the lake." Based on Jason's face, Nico guessed he was confused and continued, "At the lake I was talking to someone, remember?"

"Oh right! Why were you drawing him? You hardly know him."

"It was just a doodle, and I know a lot about him."

"Uh-huh, you talked for about five minutes."

"Yeah, well, we kind of, uh, ran into each other at a McDonald's." Nico spit out.

"Really?" Nico nodded and the bell signifying that they were free for lunch went off. Nico almost ran out, but the bigger, stronger Jason caught his shoulder.

"Oh no you don't! I want you to tell me about this guy."

"But-"

"No, don't do that, if you like the guy-"

"I don't like him!"

"-than I want to know about him."

"Ugh, fine, his going through college, his in a band, and wants to be a doctor."

"How old is he?"

"It's his second year of college, so I'm guessing he's eighteen or nineteen."

"Makes sense. How long did you guys talk?"

"Uh, I went there for lunch and I left when it was dark outside."

"Oh my god, that's so adorable!"

"What?"

"You spent, like, five hours together."

"Huh, I guess we did."

"Are you blushing?"

"No!" Nico covered his cheeks with his hands, which were rather hot.

"So, you do like this guy?" Jason asked, picking up a lunch tray.

"I don't know." Nico copied Jason's actions and thought about his encounters with Will, which was filled with him blushing, smiling, and just being open. He blushed harder.

"Well, I think you do." Then Jason gasped, "You should ask him out!"

"What? No way, what if he doesn't like me like that!"

"Better then never trying."

Jason and Nico got their school ID's so the lunch ladies could scan them and they headed towards their table, where all the others were except Leo.

"Where's Leo?" Jason asked, choosing the seat next to his girlfriend's.

"He's asking Calypso out again." Hazel told him, biting her sandwich.

"Again? Ugh, when's he gonna learn that he has to try something, less," Piper stopped thinking for the right word, "Extravagant."

"I think he should just buy her roses and ask her out to a nice restraint." Frank put in, biting a tomato.

"Ever the romantic, Frank." Percy patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Thank you."

The table went quite until they heard an aggravated yell, and they swiveled their heads towards the entrance, where Calypso and Leo were yelling at each other, or at least one was yelling.

"Leo! Your stupid card blew up on my favorite blouse!"

"Hey! It's not my fault it malfunctioned!"

"Yes it is! You should have tested it before you gave it to me!"

"I did and it was working perfectly fine!"

"Obviously not!"

"Okay! I'm sorry, would you like for me to get you another top?"

"No, because then you would have my shirt size and the place I regularly shop at!"

"It ain't that hard to guess your shirt size, sweetheart."

"You're a pig, Valdez!"

"Love you too! I'll ask you out next week!"

"See?" Frank called the group's attention back to him, "Roses, all he's got to do is give her roses."

"Don't go in Percy!" Annabeth yelled, "The lake is almost at freezing temperature!"

"I'm not gonna go in! I was just gonna look at it!" Percy explained himself.

"We see it all the time! There's absolutely no reason for you to be gawking at it like it's the eighth wonder of the world!"

"But it is!"

Annabeth shook her head as she ran off after Percy. Hazel and Leo were the next ones running, Frank walking behind them. Nico was leaning against the car as Jason came over and leaned against the bumper with him. He nudged Nico and pointed over to a large oak tree a little bit away from where they were.

"That Will?" Jason nodded toward the guy.

"Yeah." Nico whispered.

"Go talk to him." Jason bumped Nico's shoulder making him stumble a bit, "Go on, maybe you can introduce him to us, the girls will be able to tell if he's gay or not."

Nico rolled his eyes, but started walking towards Will, his heart speeding up with each step.

"Where's he going?" Nico heard Piper ask.

"He's just taking a walk." Was Jason's answer.

Nico walked up to Will, who was writing in that notebook of his again.

"Still working on that song?" He asked, leaning against the tree.

Will smiled up at Nico, "Yeah, it's coming to me in bits and pieces, but I got all the chords down on paper, oh, I play guitar in the band, by the way."

"That's cool, dad made me learn the violin, I was good at it, but I don't really have the money to buy one a new one."

"Wow, that's cool, the violin always seemed too complicated to me, I mean, moving the stick back and forth along the strings and fingering them at the same time- wait that sounded wrong."

Nico snickered, "It was hard, but I've always been smart, I skipped a grade too."

"I wish I could skip a grade! That would take a year off the ten!"

"It's not that great, people picked on me for being a nerd, that is, until Percy and I met. Now I get hit on, if that's any better."

"You get hit on?"

"Yeah, there's a girl where I work who flirts with me, but she can't get it through her thick skull that I don't like her like that." By now Nico and Will were walking around you little paths that crisscrossed around the park, bikers and joggers passing by them every now and then.

"Who do you like then? Whichever girl it is should be flattered at the thought that someone like you was smitten with them."

"Oh, uh, well-"

"What?"

"I don't like girls, like that." He admitted, walking with his head slightly turned away, until he realized that Will that stopped. When Nico looked back, Will had the biggest grin on his face.

"What's with the stupid grin?" Nico sneered at him.

"Hmm? Oh, it's just hard to find other people who are gay." He lied.

"Do you like the company of gay people?"

"No, but gay people understand gay people better."

"Wait what? You're gay too?"

"Well, duh!"

"You just, hide it well, I guess."

They stood there for a few minutes, not looking at each other, but stealing glances at each other every now and then, reveling in the new found information. They could have stayed like that all day, but a biker yelled at them to get out of the way.

Nico felt his phone vibrate and saw a message sent from Jason saying, "I've got you covered" with a winky face after the message. Nico rolled his eyes, but shouted as Will stole his phone.

"Give it back!" He yelled, reaching for the phone Will held up out of reach, Nico always hated how short he was.

"No way!" After a while, Nico gave up and _let _Will look at his phone. Will opened Nico's browser and saw a website for movie times on it.

"You want to see the Hobbit?"

"Yeah, Annabeth got me into the series."

"So do I."

"You wanna see it?"

"Yeah, the first book my mom got me was Lord of the Rings and I've been completely obsessed with it since the movies came out!"

"You wanna see it with me? I mean, I was gonna go with Annabeth, but she already saw it with Reyna, she's one of our other friend's, she doesn't came to the lake though."

"Yeah, that'd be cool, what day?"

"I was going Friday, after school gets out for break."

"Alright, I'll clear my schedule, what time?"

"Um, five?"

"Five? Cool, we can get dinner after too and talk about it."

"Sweet, oh, my friends wanted to meet you, if that would be okay."

"Aw, you talk about me!"

"Oh shut up, they just remember you from last Saturday."

"Sure, live in denial."

"I'll push you in the lake." Nico threatened.

"Aw, but then I'll miss the movie!"

"And that's a bad thing?"

Will gave Nico a little shoulder bump, which Nico responded to with a slightly harder one. They walked towards Nico's group in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company.

"Tofu taco?" Leo asked when the two came into yelling range.

"No one wants your nasty tofu tacos Leo!" Nico yelled at him.

"I do!" Piper the vegetarian put her hand up.

"Well you're from California, everyone there is weird!"

"You're from California!" She remarked.

"Exactly why I ran away!"

The argument had a good laugh rolling throughout the group.

"Who's you're friend, Nico?" Annabeth asked, the only one who remained civil.

"He's not my friend, he's this weird person who keeps following me around!" Nico stated in all seriousness

"Hey, I take offence to that!" Will whined.

"C'mon Nico," Hazel said, "You know mom won't let you keep him!"

"Who said I wanted to keep him?"

"I think we should give him a name!" Percy joked, "I like Spot!"

"He looks more like a Rex in my opinion." Frank added.

"If you name him, you won't be able to let him go, I already said we can't keep him!" Hazel joined in.

"Do I get a say in this?" Will asked.

"Ah! It can talk!" Leo exclaimed, fainting on to Jason's lap, "Catch me!"

"Nope!" Jason moved as Leo fell so that he landed on the ground.

"Some hero you are!" Leo stuck his tounge out at Jason, who did the same.

Nico shook his head, "This is Will, guys."

"Oh so you decided on a name?" Percy remarked.

For the next hour or so, Will sat and talked with Nico and his friends, they all told embarrassing stories of each other, hoping to make a good impression on Nico's friend. After a while, Nico went to go get something from the car, and at that moment, Nico's friend's turned on Will.

"What are your intentions with our little baby?" Percy asked.

"Um, sorry?" Will asked, a little confused by what was happening.

"We just want to make sure someone doesn't break his heart."

"Oh well-"

"Nico is very precious, he just recently opened up to us about what happened in LA." Piper told him.

"You mean what happened to his sister?"

Jason pushed up his glasses, "He told you about that?"

"Yeah, at McDonald's, we ran into each other, he didn't make that big a deal about it."

"We've been trying to get him to tell us about Bianca for two years, and he told you after talking to you two times?" Annabeth inquired, complete shock overcoming her when he nodded.

"Alright, all this does is prove how vulnerable he made himself around you, which means you can hurt him even more!" Jason glared at Will.

"He's my brother," Hazel said, "If you hurt him, he'll tell me, and if or when you do, we will find you, and we will hurt you."

Will smiled at her, and her scowl faded, "Look, I like Nico, a _lot_, the last thing I ever want to do is hurt him."

Everyone's glares melted as Will told them what they wanted to hear, all realizing that Nico might actually have a chance at something they all had, love.

"Alright," Percy smiled at Will, "But everyone on the swim team will gang up on you if you leave our little baby broken."

Just then Nico came back to everyone smiling at each other, "Uh, did I miss something?"

"Nah, we were just enjoying each other's company." Frank said.

Will took out his phone and looked at it. Nico sat down and looked over his shoulder, Will moved his phone so Nico could read it, a message from Zoe saying "Band meeting".

"Gotta go?" Nico pouted, a little disappointed, not wanting Will leave so soon.

"Yep, Lieutenant Zoe calls." Based on the confused looks, he further explained the nickname, "Uh, the band calls her that because she's gone a little over board with being the leader of the band. I think it's going to her head in all honesty! Oh well, see you guys later! And don't worry about your friend, he'll be fine."

He turned around and walked away as the others said their good-byes to their new friend.

Nico took a sip of water before almost chocking on it and Percy immediately started pounding on his back, "You okay, dude?"

"Yeah," Nico gasped, wiping his mouth, "but I think I asked Will out on a date!"

He took out his phone as it vibrated and saw a new message from Will, "BTW, I put my number in your phone and I'll need an address to pick you up!" He looked up at his friends as they all got very excited.

"Aw! How'd it happen?" Piper asked first.

"Um." Was his response.

"I'm so happy for you Nico!" Hazel added.

"Well, uh."

"Can I plan the wedding?" Leo asked.

"Leo!" Annabeth scolded, "They haven't even gone out yet!"

"What happened?" It was Jason who actually got a response from Nico that was more than two syllables.

"He was looking on my phone, and saw that I was seeing what time the Hobbit played, and I invited him, we're getting dinner after, and he has my number now too."

"This great!" Piper yelled in excitement, clasping her hands together.

"But, what if he doesn't realize it's a date?"

"I think the only reason he would say yes would be because he wants to go out with you," Annabeth stated," It was obvious that he liked you." The other girls nodded in agreement.

"He was always looking at you." Hazel recalled.

"Mmhmm, and he sat really close to you too." Piper went on, "like, a possessive close."

"He's not possessive of me." Nico blushed, and the girl's looked at him, "What?"

"Really? You sure about that?" Annabeth's face saying it all really.

"Well-"

"You and he may not have noticed, but he had his shoulder touching to yours the whole time."

Hazel and Piper nodded.

"So, he likes me?"

"Yes." Percy said.

"You can't talk since you didn't realize three girls and a dude had crushes on you, at the same time." Nico told Percy.

"Okay, so I was oblivious to what was going on around me, but I'm not part of your relationship so I can see it perfectly."

At that everyone laughed.

"Alright so we've established that Will and Nico like each other, right?" Leo asked.

"Right." The others, except Nico, responded.

Nico looked at the text message on his phone. _Will _was all that went through Nico's head at the moment, and he realized that all day today that Will stood very close to him as they walked, and sat close too. Normally, he wouldn't be okay with someone being so close, but it felt right with Will. The next question he asked surprised everyone, including himself.

"What am I gonna wear?"

~Author's note~

Lol, I know he wouldn't be concerned with his outfit, but everyone get concerned about what they wear on their first date! And yay! Nico asked Will out! Sure it was unintentional but still. Anyway, I have an actual plot for the story, yay! And luckily, it'll be long, so be patient! Bye!


	5. Take me to the Movies

**WILL**

Will looked at the shirt he had on, he liked it, until he saw the ketch-up stain in the corner. The let out a frustrated sigh and sat on his bed.

"What if he doesn't even consider this a date?" Will asked Lou Ellen, who also sat on his bed, reading a magazine.

"He does." She flipped a page, doing a fantastic job at reassuring Will.

"How can you be sure?" He took off his shirt and hunted down another one.

"Because of your guy's texts." She lifted up his phone, "Ooh, he just texted, 'where are we going to eat?' How cute, you're going out like proper couples!"

"Shut up, and didn't you have reservations or something?"

"Yes, there's a restraint called Sapori d'Italia, its a little ways out of town, but I put a map in your car."

"How fancy is it?"

"Not too fancy, but wear a button up, I'll text that to Nico."

Will ventured back into his closet to get a button up shirt, the only one he had was yellow, but that color went well with his skin. He slipped it over his shoulders and began buttoning up the front.

"How's this?" He modeled the shirt, turning around as Lou Ellen spun her finger to view it, "Keep in mind that's the only one I have."

"I'm sure Nico will love it." She provided, making him blush, "And I'm pretty sure he's just excited about this _date_ as you are, now grab a jacket and go!"

Will nodded, grabbing the leather jacket he had from when he spent time with his father, who has fascinated by motorcycles, well, automobiles in general.

Will always told him he should consider working with machines, but his father just wanted to look at the shiny metal, complaining that he would get grease and oil all over his nice clothes.

"Will!" Lou Ellen yelled after him as he walked away

"What?"

"Don't forget your wallet!"

"Thanks, Lou." Will walked back to where she was and kissed her forehead.

"Don't get too crazy!"

"Okay!"

"And use protection!"

"Lou!"

"I'm just kidding! God!"

Will walked out of his apartment and towards his car, nothing fancy, but Will loved it to death.

The first thing he did when he climbed in was make sure the map to Sapori d'Italia was there, and then put it in the center consol. He pulled out of the parking space and drove towards Nico's apartment building.

As he drove, he tried coming down, he was just hanging out with a friend that he really, really liked, and if he messed up and hurt said friend, said friend's friends would hurt him, possible leaving him to die in a ditch!

Will took in a deep breath, obviously, thinking about the date that may or may not be a date was too much to handle.

When Will got there, he was surprised at how small the apartment building was. He never expected Nico to be poor, but maybe there was another story.

He got out of his car and headed into the building, the numbers _24B _ran through his head as he headed for the apartment that belonged to Nico's family.

Unfortunately the elevator was broken so he had to walk up the stairs, which wasn't that bad since Nico only lived on the second story.

As he approached the apartment, he knocked on an old door in the dimly light hallway. He heard the door unlock and was half expecting Nico to be there, waiting at the door for Will.

"What? No flowers?" It was Hazel who opened the door, who smiled at him.

"No sorry, they were out of black ones." Will joked, making Hazel laugh.

"I think wilted ones would have been more preferable. Come on in, my mom's in the kitchen making a, ah_, potion_."

Will nodded, remembering that Nico told him that his mom was a "gypsy".

He walked into the kitchen and saw who he assumed to be Hazel's and Nico's mom. She was wearing overalls and a white shirt, a red bandana kept her hair out of her face as purple steam sprayed her face.

"Um, hello Mrs. Levesque." Will said, putting his hand out to shake hers.

She wiped her hands on a towel, smudging it purple, and shook his hand, giving him a warm, motherly smile, "Marie, if you'll please, I hate being so formal. You know, it took me forever to get Nico to call me 'mom', he always said ma'am or Mrs. Levesque, blah."

"That's wonderful, I hate being formal as well, takes away the fun in life."

"That a boy. Hazel, get Nico, okay?"

"Yes, mom." As Hazel lift, Marie's motherly smile turned threatening as she asked Will the same question Percy and company asked him and the park.

"Now dear, tell me what your intentions are for my baby?"

"Oh where have I heard this before?" Will whispered to himself before replying, "I assure you, Marie, I would never intentionally hurt Nico, as I said to his friends, I like him a lot and too much to hurt."

"Good, just want I wanted to hear. Now go make my son happy."

Will smiled at Marie, nodding his head, intending to do just that.

"Now, don't bring him home too late, he may be seventeen, but I'm not, and I will be waiting up for him!"

"Yes ma'am!"

"Good."

"Mom, stop torturing Will!" Nico came out, his shirt a white button up with a black skinny tie. Surprising, since Will half expect a tie covered in skulls with a pitch black shirt.

Nico's eyes were scanning the room and the next one over, looking for something.

"Oh we were just chatting. And your jacket is on the couch."

"How did you know I was looking for it?"

"The fact that you weren't wearing it was a big clue." She said, she waked up towards him as he put on an aviators jacket, and kissed his forehead. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

"But you do just about everything."

"Exactly!"

"Bye mom!" Nico gave one last farewell as he dragged Will out of the apartment by holding his hand, "Sorry about her, she's a bit mental sometimes."

"She was an absolute doll!" Will said.

"Oh, shut up."

"Sure thing, sunshine."

They walked down the stairs and said good-bye to the single employee at the desk. They got to Will's car and he even opened Nico's door for him.

Nico raised an eyebrow at Will, but Will pretended not to notice. If he was going to consider this a date, he was going to do it right!

Nico put on a radio station that played alternative music and put the volume to blasting. Will made a mental note about what kind of music Nico liked. Maybe he could serenade Nico to Fallout Boy.

They got to the movie theater and jumped in the shortest line. Nico listened to a story Will was telling about the band's last practice and how Travis and his brother, Conner, helped pull a prank on Zoe, the tyrant of a band leader Will always complained about via text message.

"Yeah I know! And then Conner said that he had the whole thing taped!" Will laughed as they stepped up to the ticket window.

"What are you seeing today?" The man in the window asked, obviously bored out of his mind.

"Two for the Hobbit, please!" Will smiled at the man, who seemed to just hiss at the happiness Will radiated.

"That'll be twenty dollars, please."

Will and Nico both took out their wallets, but Will put the twenty down before Nico could get even one five out.

"Enjoy."

"Hey, why'd you pay for my ticket?" Nico asked.

"Because I wanted to pay for it." Was Will's overly happy response.

Much to Nico's chagrin, he let it slide, fully intending to pay for the snacks. And as Will ordered a large popcorn and two large drinks, Nico put twenty dollars on the counter to pay. Smirking at the fuming Will who had just got his wallet out.

The old man behind the counter smiled politely at them and gave Nico his change.

"You didn't have to pay for that." Will hissed.

"I wanted to pay for it." Nico smiled at him, going over and spending butter sauce over the bag, shaking it every so often so the sauce would reach the bottom.

As Will watched, he imaged them going on dates like this all the time, fighting over who paid and what not. It made Will smile a rather stupid smile as he stood there, gawking at Nico.

"Hey Will! We better go in now if we want some good seats!" Nico called over.

"Hmm?" Will asked, still dazed and in his fantasy world, "Oh right, yeah."

"You okay?" Nico walked over to Will, curiosity and concern on his face for Will's wellbeing, but mostly curiosity.

"I'm fine, just thinking." Will smiled, making the concern and curiosity wash away from Nico's face. It didn't suite him anyway, especially when it was aimed towards Will.

They walked into theater twelve, that was still playing the before movie crap, complete with useless trivia about actors and soda commercials.

Nico choose some seats in the middle, trying very hard to find seats that weren't surrounded by a ton of nerds and teens checking their Facebook status.

Sitting down in the plush theater seats that made him look even smaller then he already was. Will smiled at the fact that Nico's head didn't even reach the top of the seat.

"What's with you, today?" Nico asked, "You're really happy."

"Well yeah." Will said, smile widening, "I'm hanging out with a friend."

"You weren't this happier the other times we hung out."

"Nico, what do you consider this?" Will asked in all seriousness, but a smile was plastered on his face.

"Well, uh, it's a-"

"Because I consider this a date."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do, and if you don't well, I'll leave."

"No! I mean, don't go! I consider this a date too! I just didn't know if you knew." His voice died out half-way through, going from regular talking to a quitted whisper.

Will laughed at Nico, "C'mon Nico! Of course I considered it a date! Most people go to dinner and a movie for a first date, you were only following the standards set by society."

"Man, I'm sorry our first date is gonna be considered normal."

"Well, where else would we have gone? A cemetery?"

"My friends are gonna ask what we did, and I'm gonna have to say we did what normal people did for first dates! They'll be so disappointed."

"We'll can go somewhere else and call that our first date, they'll never know."

"We're a disappointment, Will."

"Well, technically, you are since you're the one who asked me out."

"You suggested dinner after, so you're just as much to blame for our boring date."

"We get it!" Someone yelled form behind them, "They're on a lame first date! Now be quite! The movies startin'!"

Nico and Will laughed at each other and the person behind them, shutting up now that the movie trailers started.

Will leaned on Nico, who subconsciously did the same, popping a popcorn into his mouth then Will's.

Will started nodding off so Nico poked his side to keep him awake, both allowing it to became a habit if Will closed his eyes for so much as a second, and Will did the same to Nico, who would mumble slightly when he did.

Again, Will found himself a few years later with Nico as his boyfriend. Again they were at the movies, and they would poke each other to keep each other up so they could watch the whole movie.

It made Will smile and he focused more on that and Nico rather than the movie.

Will watched Nico's actions, the way his eyes widened when something unexpected happened, but then went back to an emotionless face. How he used popcorn as an excuse to put his hand over his mouth at something surprising.

After a while, Nico's sleeves fell away from his arms, revealing what looked like self-harm scars. Will's heart pounded in his chest as he realized Nico's pain filled life wasn't just emotional. He was dying to ask Nico about it, hoping that those were old scars painted palely on his wrist, but he knew now was not the time, and here was not the place, within time, Will would ask Nico about the scars that made him look even more fragile.

Will returned to watching Nico's facial expressions as he watched the movie, trying to avoid looking at his wrists. Nico's eyes started to droop and Will lightly jabbed at his side.

"Stay up, it's almost over." He whispered into Nico's ear. He nodded sleepily and put his head down on Will's shoulder, more than likely it was the drowsiness that caused his actions, but it made Will's heart feel warm anyway.

Will turned to actually watch the movie, but what the, what were they called? Orcas? Orcs? Whatever they were, were talking about things that must have happened earlier in the movie because everything they talked about confused Will, which, understandably, was because he was watching Nico, who would hopeful be his boyfriend at the end of this.

Then it hit him.

Zoe's rules, he wasn't supposed to even be on this date! Sure, the band members were slowly turning on her, but if she found out, he would be dead.

He didn't have to say anything though, did he? He could keep it a secret, at least to Zoe, and Cecil, he and Cecil were friends, but his mouth was bigger than Zoe's African bow.

Maybe he would just tell Lou Ellen and ask to keep it a secret.

For right now, that's what he would have to do, he was already neck deep when he said yes to the date, and he couldn't hurt Nico! One, he didn't want to, and two Nico's friends would hurt him for hurting Nico!

Boy, what a mess Will got himself into this time! Maybe he could ask his dad for advice, he was always good with dating. Well, he dated girls, but that can't be too different, can it?

Will relaxed as the last scene started to play, poking Nico again so that he wouldn't miss it. They both sat up to hopefully drive the drowsiness away.

Of course Will didn't understand what was going on at all, but watched it anyway. When it was over, the audience clapped for the movie even though no one was there to accept it.

Will stood up and stretched, cracking the kinks in his back and neck away.

He watched as Nico didn't the same and they picked up their trash, Nico talking to Will excitedly about the scene with Gandalf, he nodded, saying that was the best part, even though he had not watched that scene.

They threw their trash away, and headed for the door.

"-but the best part was when-" Nico went on, Will "mmming" and nodding his head at all the right moments, "If Annabeth was here, she would probably start ratting off all the different strategies they _should _have used."

"Oh, so already you want to replace me! And with a girl too!" Will said jokingly.

"I was just about to say how glad I was that she wasn't here to do that."

Will laughed, "Wow, maybe I should let you finish your sentences!"

"'Maybe'? What's with this maybe crap? You should always let me finish my sentences. They're almost Shakespeare."

Will opened the door again for Nico, who wasn't as confused as to why now, before walking over to the driver's side and hopping in.

He put in the keys, starting the engine, and the music, the station Nico switched to early now played an Imagine Dragons' song, mush to Nico's obvious pleasure.

"I love this song!" He yelled over the music, singing out the lyrics of the song.

~Author's note~

I know this one was kind of short compared to the others, but the next one is the dinner date! I'll try to write it tonight. But until then!


	6. 360

**Nico**

Nico practically screamed out the words to his favorite song by Imagine Dragons. He was enjoying himself, which was a rare thing, and it was all because of Will. He went on his first date ever with Will, and it was better than he thought it would be.

When the big lights of the city faded, Nico turned down the radio to ask Will where they were headed.

"It's an Italian restaurant called Sapori d'Italia, Lou Ellen found it."

Nico nodded, knowing Lou Ellen from his and Will's run in and all the times Will talked about her through text messages.

"She's a good person."

Will laughed, "At first! Once you get to know her well, she pulls pranks on you like there's no tomorrow, not to mention how she can always get you to do something for her! Once she blackmailed me into paying for a spa trip for her and her friends."

"Sounds like she has you wrapped around your finger!"

"More like she can find any dirt on me and use it against me for personal gain."

"Sounds terrifying."

"Yup, try living with her!"

"You live together?"

"With Cecil." Will added. Nico wasn't the jealous type, and he knew people had to get roommates sometimes to survive the outrageous costs of New York living.

"If you were trying to amend living with your female friend by telling me you live with your male makes it worse since we're gay."

"Oh yeah, we're gay."

Nico laughed, "Forget that?"

Will smiled over at him, "You make me forget everything."

Nico blushed, giving out a fake, rough cough, "I think we're here."

"Oh, so we are."

They got out of the car, parking close to the restaurant, which was surprisingly packed since neither had heard about the restaurant before.

The place lit up the outside world with large windows, the building look old-fashioned with a red brick building, and the dining area inside was filled with sturdy brown tables and chairs. There were even flower boxes hanging on the windows and the railings of an upstairs balcony that looked like it had an outside bar (which meant it was for adults only).

Nico gapped up at the building that looked like it belonged in his hometown in Italy. Which brought back good and bad memories.

"Nico?" Will asked, coming over and taking his hand.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, let's go!"

They walked into the restaurant where a hostess in a pretty red dress asked if they had reservations.

"Yes," Will said, "One for Solace at eight."

The woman checked her computer and nodded when she found his name.

"Yes, here you are. We have a table for you upstairs, will that be alright?" She asked with what seemed like genuine concern, no wonder she got the job.

She bent over at her little counter thing and pulled out two menus, she gave a little wave to them which was a single meant that they should start to follow her.

They walked towards a set of stairs that looked like they were hand carved form Leonardo Di Vinci himself.

The Hostess walked them past an area that sunk into a dance floor, a live band playing as the rich and powerful waltzed across the floor.

They made their way up stairs to where the seats merely wrapped around walls so that the dance floor and band could be seen, as well as the giant chandelier that Nico had just noticed.

The Hostess sat them down at a two person table with a candle in the center of it. They both put their jackets on the backs of their chairs as the Hostess left and they sat down.

"Woo, what would of happened if I didn't consider this a date?" Nico asked, nodding towards the candle on the table.

"Well, it would be a very awkward friend field trip that involved a violin player."

"There's a violin player here?"

"I don't know, this is my first time here as much as it's our first time."

"So, your last name's Solace?"

"Oh yeah, I haven't mentioned that?"

"Nope, so I guess it's only fair to say mine."

"Oh so I have to give something to you to get something from you?"

"Shut up. My last name's di Angelo."

"As in Angel?"

"Oh wow, it can listen!" Nico said with dry sarcasm.

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I must of said it wrong than."

"Okay, enough bashing, what do you want to eat." Will asked, picking up his menu.

Nico followed his lead, and took a look at the entrees, each seeming mouthwateringly good and overly expensive.

"Um, how are you gonna pay for this? An appetizer is fourteen dollars!"

"Now or never," Will whispered to himself, "Um, okay confession time, my dad is really a famous musician."

Nico raised his eyebrow, not really believing it.

"No really, he's stage name is Apollo, he sends my mom a check of, like, one thousand dollars a month to help support me and my brother Lee. He comes around every once in a while, too. My mom and him are in love, but she doesn't what to be involved in his big rock star life, you know, the paparazzi lurking at every corner. My mom's a surgeon, imagine losing a patient and having it all over magazines the next day!"

"I can imagine, my mom, my real one, she was Italian, and my dad went there on a vacation. My mom was a waitress paying off college debts. He saw her while he was getting breakfast. He had his way with her and she had Bianca, he sent money to help too. And eventually he came back and she had me. Unfortunately, when I was nine or ten she was caught in an explosion, her workplace went to ashes, Bianca and I went to our Father, and well, you know the rest."

"Wow, that's devastating."

Nico gave a bitter laugh, "That's okay, I got over it, and this is hardly dinner conversation. Tell me about yourself."

"I think we should order first." Will pointed out the waiter who made his way over to them.

"Hello, I'll be your waiter for the evening. My name is Herman." Herman had salt and pepper hair and a nice smile, "Can I start you off with drinks?"

"Yes, I have a water." Will smiled.

"Uh, I'll have Coca-Cola." He coughed a little to clear his throat.

"Of course. I'll get those right away, in addition to my service, George and Martha will also assist you if you have any needs. We're they main waiters on the second story." He smiled again, walking away to get their drinks.

"He's chipper." Nico scoffed.

"He's only doing his job! Now pick out something to eat, I'll be able to pay for it."

Nico looked over the menu, looking at all the pastas and Italian soups they had. The spices they used in the kitchen filtered through his senses and reminded Nico of home, not Marie's apartment, or the Underworld recording studio in LA, but the small kitchen his mom made spaghetti in.

Instantly, Nico knew what he wanted and looked over the columns of over-priced food until he found the one that said "Spaghetti". Nothing would ever taste as good as his mom's, but this could be a close second.

He put his menu down, ready to converse with Will, who was still looking it over.

"I have no idea how to pounce any of these other than the obvious." Will admitted, setting his menu down.

"I could pounce it for you." Nico offered.

"You speak Italian?"

"I grew up there remember?"

"Oh right!"

Nico shook his head gently at Will.

"Okay, okay, I guess that was a given! Hmm, let's play a game!"

"A game?" Nico asked, "We're in a fancy restaurant, you know that, right?"

"Not that kind of game! What's your favorite!"

"What?"

"Well in addition to our normal first date, we can do normal first date things, like what's your favorite!"

"Uh-"

"What's your favorite dog?"

"Mastiff. You?"

"I always liked golden retrievers!"

"Figures."

"And what does that mean?"

"It means you're a giant golden retriever."

"You could be Grumpy cat!"

"What?"

"It's a meme on the internet, it's all over the place, people even have t-shirts with that cat on it."

Nico shrugged, "I only use the internet to do homework and listen to music."

"What do you do without internet?"

"I read, it makes me smarter, especial when this generation finds a cat important enough to put it on their shirts."

"I think you just insulted everyone that has gone on the internet."

"Good."

"Okay, whatever, um, favorite book?"

"It's not really a book so much as a series, but I just obsess over Peter Johnson."

"I've read that, it's pretty cool."

Herman came back, "Here, one water, and one coke, are you ready to order?" He asked, hand on his pen and pad to write down the order.

"Yes." Will answered, "Nico?"

"Um, I'll have the spaghetti." He handed his menu over as Herman wrote down the order and turned to Will to take his order.

"I'll have the lasagna." He gave the waiter the menu, giving him a brilliant smile.

"You're good at this." Nico said, putting his head in his hands to look at Will, who gave a confused look while still smiling.

"Good at what?"

"Talking to people," Nico took a drink, "I stutter and choke up when I do."

"It's my always sunny personality I guess."

"Ah, that's why you sicken me."

"Oh shush up. I guess my favorite novel would be the Fault in our Stars. "

"Really? Isn't that, like, a girly book?"

"Just because it's a romance doesn't mean it's girly."

"Right."

"Whatever, it's still my favorite. Alright, favorite, movie!"

"I've always liked Psycho, and I'm guessing yours is Lord of the Rings. What's your favorite, uh, color?"

"I've always been attracted to the color blue."

"Black, duh."

"You know, I was actually expecting your favorite color to be pink."

Nico made a gagging noise that made Will laugh.

"Are you a night owl or an early bird?" Nico implored.

"Early bird, definitely, I just love getting up early enough to see the sun rise as I drink coffee. And depending on your lovely facial expressions, I'm guessing you a night owl."

"Yup, I don't get tired until one in the morning, get five hours of sleep and start getting ready for school."

"That sounds dreadful," Will said, Nico nodded, "not getting a proper eight hours in, do you know what that can do to your body? I mean, the obvious factors of your body slowing down because of drowsiness! No wonder you were falling asleep at the movies!"

"Oh my god, Will relax, lots of people don't get eight hours of sleep."

"And do you see how that's affecting them?" Nico shook his head, "Their bodies will start to deteriorate!"

"I'm sure that's not how being sleep deprived works, Will."

"Of course it is! I'm a doctor!"

"Not yet, you still have an ass-load of years left 'til you become an actual doctor."

"And you, only getting five hours of sleep a night! No wonder you're so short!"

"Hey!"

"Spaghetti?" Herman the waiter asked, setting the plate down in front of Nico as he nodded his head. Then set the lasagna in front of Will, leaving them again.

"Starting tonight, you'll get eight hours of sleep, going to bed at a reasonable time. Doctor's orders."

"Will."

"Yes?"

"You still aren't a doctor so stop ordering me around."

"I'm more of one then you'll ever be."

Nico twirled some strands of noodles onto his fork and picked up a meatball before putting it in his mouth to devour. Good, but still a second to his mother's.

Will took a bite of his lasagna and moaned as he ate it, which was a very distracting thing to Nico.

"Good?" He asked.

"Very!"

Nico smiled at Will.

Funny, He was smiling a lot more now because of Will. Not even Percy could have made him smile like it was Christmas.

For a moment, the only noise was the clatter of plates and the gentle piano music flooding into Nico's ears as the band played down stairs.

The content silence reminded Nico of the quite dinners he had with his mother and sister, and then with their father, who was mostly working and often missed dinner.

Then he remember when he first moved in with Marie and Hazel, who both carried a conversation and dragged him into them. Marie spun tells about a man who came in to play with tarot cards so he would know if he would gain fortune. The woman who came in, seeking a love potion to poison the man who loved her friend.

She would call them smucks to think her magic was real. So Nico guessed he was a smuck.

He remembered her telling him how she had a sixth sense, but as far as magic went, that was it.

"What are you thinking about?" Will broke his thoughts with a soft whisper.

"My mom, well, Mrs. Levesque."

"Oh. What about her?"

"I was thinking about the first time we had dinner together, how different it was to my other family dinners."

"Different how?" Will went on.

"Well, in Italy and LA, we sat in silence, not talking, only eating, my mom said it was to truly appreciate the food, but I know there was more to that story. And with my dad, me and Bianca never talked, we "appreciating" the food, and dad was usually busy with work anyway." He stopped and took a drink, not used to all the talking he had done tonight. "But with Marie, she talked about work life, she asked me and Hazel how our lives, school lives, and work were. She roped me into her dinner conversations, and I found I liked it much better than "appreciating" the food."

"My mom always talks at dinner, and if she doesn't, she finds something to take about. She hates silence."

"The first few times me and my sister had dinner with our dad, it was awkward because we were used to not talking, and he was usually on his Bluetooth, looking like he was talking to himself at dinner."

"Yeah, that would be pretty awkward."

"The silence we had just now wasn't awkward," Nico admitted, "that's why I was thinking about it, how different this has been compared to dinner with my parents, even my friends! I've never talked this much!"

"Well, I'm glad I make you a talkative person."

Nico rolled his eyes, but smiled anyway, "Well, I like talking to you."

"I'm flattered! Really!"

They resumed eating, making comments at each other every now and then.

"What was your first memory?"

"Walking around town with Bianca in her floppy green hat."

"I remember my dad picking me up, it was the first time he saw me, too."

Eventually, one of the players in the band started to play the violin, playing a soft yet dramatic solo.

"When I was five, my dad took me surfing, and my mom got so mad because he didn't get permission first, and she didn't want her five year old son surfing! But that was when I lived in California."

"When I was five, Bianca would take me to the park and drop me off for a babysitter to watch me while my mom worked and she went to school."

"Why didn't the babysitter come to your house?"

"I think it was some superstition my mom had."

"What, don't yet the babysitter in your house?"

"It was more like don't let the stranger in your house free to take whatever they wanted."

"She was more worried about her things being stolen rather than her son?"

"Nah, she trusted her friend to watch her kid, I just don't think she trusted any adult in her house without her in it."

"That's a strange superstition."

"We're Italians, we have a hand motion that means "your as crazy as a pepper mill"!"

"What?"

"My thought exactly."

Herman came back around ever once and a while to refill their drinks and ask if they wanted dessert.

Will looked towards Nico for an answer, who shook his head, claiming to be too full from the delicious meal.

Will and Nico began talking about useless, stupid things, and Nico loved it, he could have sat there forever, talking about things with no meaning. But then Herman came with the bill, pretty much telling them to get lost.

Will looked at the bill and got out his wallet. Nico picked it up to observe it.

"Will?"

"Yes?"

"We spend a lot of money on dinner for two people."

"That's okay."

"You sure?"

Will smiled at Nico, melting away every one of Nico's worries.

"Yes."

Nico set down the bill as Will got enough money to cover the bill and leave a tip.

"At least let me leave the tip." Nico didn't want Will spending so much money on him.

"You bought the snacks, remember?"

"That was, like fifteen dollars, this is, like, fifty."

"Fine." Will put the tip back in his pocket as Nico put some money in.

They stood up, collecting their jackets as they went.

"Thank you, Herman." Will said as they passed him serving another guest.

"Anytime!" He responded.

They walked down the beautiful stairs and took a moment to appreciate the music and people brave enough to dance in front of the judgmental.

They said thank you, or at least Will did, to the Hostess as they left.

Will got to his car and unlocked the doors, opening the passenger side for Nico.

As they started to head back into the city that lit up brightly, almost as if it was welcoming them back into the concrete jungle.

Nico played with the heater, not minding the cold, but not wanting to sit around in it. When it got to a comfortable setting he sat back, allowing a conversation between him and Will flow.

Nico was disappointed when they got back to his apartment building, time to say good bye.

"Well, I had fun." Will said, chipper as ever.

"Yeah, I did too."

"Maybe we should do this again sometime."

"Are you asking me out on a second date?"

"Possibly."

"I'll take you up on that offer, see you tomorrow? At the lake?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Nico opened the door to the car and was about to get out when Will called him again.

"What?" He asked as he leaned over the center consol.

Will leaned forward too and kissed Nico's cheek.

"Oh." Was all Nico could manage.

"And remember to get all those eight hours!" Will said, "Doctor's orders!"

"Right, I'll get right on that."

Nico got out of the car, waving limply as Will drove away. Then a smile covered his face and he was filled with so much energy he felt like he could stay up forever!

He ran into his apartment building, yelling a greeting and scarring the man behind the counter. Nico really should learn his name.

He ran upstairs, unlocking the door and throwing it open, intending to tell his mom and Hazel about his night.

"Mom!" He yelled, he was about to yell again when he saw his mother at the table with her head in her hands. "Mom?"

"Nico." She whispered.

"Mom, what happened?"

"Remember that day back in October? When we had steaks for dinner?"

"Yeah, of course, but what does that- Oh." It hit him. That was the day she played just about five hundred dollars out of a man who thought he was cursed. Nico even warned Marie about him coming back and suing her, and now he did. "Oh, mom."

"That man, he found me." She let out a scratchy whisper, "He yelled at me for playing a drunk man out of his money, I told him that I don't remember him being drunk, but he wouldn't listen. He sued me. He sued me for everything my shop is worth."

"Mom."

"And people will know I'm a fraud after, Queen Marie will be dead!"

"Mom, it'll be okay, you won't be sued for everything your worth and you won't become a fraud."

Marie leaned into him, and he rubbed her back.

"How do you know that?"

Nico let out a breath, "I don't."

~Authors Note~

Yay! Sorry about the "everything is great!" and then the "everything is horrible!" 360 at the end, but trust me, it gets a lot worse. But like I said, this chapter was much longer!


	7. Christmas Gig

Will, Cecil and Lou Ellen sat on their couch watching television. It was a James Bond marathon that played on one of the channels, it went on at five in the morning and was supposed to end somewhere around midnight. And they played on watching it all, they even got up a five a.m. to do it. Which was only a big deal for Lou Ellen and Cecil, Will was always up at five.

It was around two and they had only finished four movies, commercials included, when they each got a text from Zoe: Band rehearsal in ten minutes. Meet at Lee's building.

Oh, freakin', no.

They all groaned for several reasons, one: they forgot they had a Christmas party gig tonight, two: like Zoe anymore or when she pulled crap like this, and three: they wouldn't be able to finish their James Bond marathon!

"Think we can finish this last movie?" Cecil asked.

"Nope, it's another half-hour." Lou Ellen answered before she smothered her face with a pillow.

"C'mon," Will got up, "let's get our stuff."

Will and Lou Ellen gathered their guitar and bass and headed towards the elevator to put their stuff in Lou's truck.

Cecil busied himself with loading up the amps and speakers, Cecil was more or less a groupie, and he could play the guitar and the bass, but not as well as Will and Lou Ellen.

He substituted for them when they got sick, but that was it mostly.

What he was really useful for was his ability to write music, most of their original songs were by him, and he would also adapt other songs to the way they played music.

Will leaned against the elevator when his phone vibrated. He pulled his phone out his back pocket and looked at the new message from Nico, which caused him to smile.

Lou Ellen noticed, "You better keep your phone away from Zoe at practice."

Will was confused, "Why?"

"Well if you keep smiling like that every time you get a text from Nico she'll get suspicious and want to know why you could ever be so happy from a simple text."

"How did you know it was Ni-"

"Honey, you only smile like _that _when you think, talk, mention, or get a text from Nico."

"Really?"

"Dude!" It was Cecil who interrupted him now, "You're totally obvious! What did the little guy text anyway?"

""Hey""

Cecil and Lou Ellen groaned.

"What?"

"You get all happy and smiley for the word "hey"?" Lou Ellen didn't really want to know the answer.

"Maybe."

"You're absolutely hopeless."

"Dude, what if Zoe catches you?" Cecil asked.

"So, she'll look at the texts and think they're from a friend, she doesn't know I'm gay!"

"You doesn't know you're gay?" Lou Ellen muttered. "And besides that, you guys flirt so hard when you text it ridiculous!"

"Okay! Fine!" Will gave in, "I'll just leave my phone in the car."

"Thank you." They both said.

Will looked back at his phone as Nico sent another text; Are you gonna come to the park Sat?

He gave Nico a yes and put his phone back into his pocket as the elevator opened.

They stepped out into the lobby and headed for the apartment's parking lot where Lou Ellen's truck was.

They loaded the truck bed and climbed in the vehicle while Will texted Nico saying that he had to go but would talk later, which he didn't want to do, he wanted to talk now. Hopefully Nico would understand.

Recently, Nico had asked Will strange questions like "Do you know where I could find an affordable lawyer that was at least some good?" or just muttering things like "There isn't a lot of evidence-" and trailing off.

Will would ask Nico what was wrong, he would say nothing, but Will knew better. But he didn't want to push the subject either. Will and Nico had spent a lot of time together after their first few dates (and yes, Nico's friends were disappointed at the normality of their first date, Leo and Percy overacting their disappointment) they walked around, went to McDonalds, and hung out at Nico's apartment.

He didn't want to ruin this relationship by being too pushy and sending Nico over the edge.

He didn't want to say that Nico would end things because of silly reasons like that, but he did. Nico had went through a lot, according to what Nico and his friends had told him. Will figured that Nico would tell him when he was ready.

Nico was the exact opposite of him, on everything from music preferences to appearance! But that made him so interesting, it made Will want to know everything about him, every quirk, habit, and obsession.

He lost track of time and before he knew it, they were at Lee's building, their normal meeting place.

"Remember to leave your phone." Lou Ellen pointed out as he got out. He let out an exasperated sigh and threw the phone in the car.

They unpacked their equipment, waved to the building manager, and went into the elevator.

"Hey guys!" Travis waved at them, not carrying anything because, since he played the drums, his instrument was already upstairs.

"Hi Travis," Cecil smiled at his friend, "How's Katie?"

"Oh you know how dogs are, always in the garden." Confused? The band members, not Zoe, had the idea to refer to Katie and Nico or any other girlfriends or boyfriends the members may get, as their pets so they could talk about them in front of Zoe, or just in case she came in unannounced.

It proved helpful when Lee asked about Nico and Zoe came in asked who he was.

_"__Nico is Will's cat!" Lou Ellen lied quickly._

Will smiled at the memory, but the lie saved him and that was all the reason he needed not to call the idea _completely_ ridiculous.

Travis and Cecil talked about getting some drum solos in the next original song or rendition of a popular one, Will wasn't really paying attention.

The elevator ride wasn't long, and soon they were inside Lee's apartment tuning their instruments, waiting for Zoe to be done doing vocal warm-ups, which took much too much time in the band's opinions.

Cecil went around talking to the members, wasting time mostly. Cecil was somewhat the band manager, or at least he was supposed to, Zoe pretty much took over everything when she joined.

Cecil mainly paid attention to how they played and whether or not they needed to work on something.

He was just about to ask Will if needed some help tuning, he seemed to be struggling, when Zoe came in ready to start practice.

"Okay everyone, I have an important announcement to make!" She started out loud, and ended loud, to catch everyone's attention. "As we all know, I booked us an event tonight, at a Christmas party, but more importantly, there will be some very high society people at this party who, if we impress, might consider hiring us! So let's get in some practicing people!"

"Which file is the music for the party under?" Cecil asked, trying to remember the playlist's name.

"Christmas music." Zoe rolled her eyes.

"Thanks" Cecil said before muttering, "You didn't have to be so rude though."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"The man on the phone said that he would like us to arrive at five thirty or six." Zoe pursed her lips, "So that gives us at least two hours to practice, have a break, and head over to the Hamptons!"

Cecil nodded, "Okay, wait, what?"

"Oh, and he said it would start around six thirty and end at ten."

"The party I going to be in the _Hamptons_?"

"Yes, didn't I mention that before?"

"No." Cecil muttered again.

"Hmm."

Cecil did the math, also subtracting time where they would get breaks, and started writing, he pulled out a binder that had Christmas music sheets ready for use, they had a ton of other binders with all sorts of different genres of music as well.

He only pulled out the songs they needed to work the most on, and they could always take some of the music sheets they needed to work on individually.

They didn't really need to practice the songs since they were already so familiar, but they needed to create a single sound instead of a bunch of instruments playing solos at the same time.

Each member were already great at the song choices the guy hosting the party wanted to hear, so the songs didn't take too much time to get organized, and they had been practicing the songs for the past few weeks anyway.

By the time they were done, as deemed by Zoe, they took some time to eat and use the restroom before they packed up their equipment to go.

Lou Ellen and Cecil were talking about a dog she find on the street the other day, and how cute it was, that it had the prettiest eyes, and was so buff- strong, dogs can't be buff!

Will shook his head at how the entire band was just lying to Zoe, even if the rules were ridiculous, they were still rules!

Of course he broke them, but specifics didn't matter, really.

Zoe came in, informing it was time to leave, and they packed up their stuff and headed for Lou's truck, which could fit six people, Zoe was driving because she was the only one who knew the location of the party.

Before they could all squish in, Will quickly snatched his phone from the front seat.

He looked at the last texted message Nico sent him, which said: Sorry you couldn't come to Percy's party L it won't be very fun without you.

Will smiled, he _was_ going to Percy's party, just as a performer instead of a guest.

Yes, that was the gig they got, no Will didn't bribe Percy into booking his band, he didn't even tell them what the band's name was, even if he talked about it constantly.

Still, Will wanted to surprise Nico, especially after seeing how down Nico had recently become. Didn't understand it, and Nico wouldn't talk about, and he just wanted to make Nico happy.

He went over the music in his head, not wanting to mess up or play the wrong chord. It wasn't long before they got to the McLean Summer Mansion, er, home.

Cecil went up the door while Lou Ellen, Travis, Lee, and Will unloaded the truck, being careful with the speakers and more fragile instruments.

As Will looked at the estate, home, he noticed how cheery the red and green lights looked along the pale yellow manor, house. But then a sharp chilly wind brushed past his face and he realized why it was a summer home and not a year-round home. He gathered up his guitar case, wires and speaker and hurried along inside where Cecil head the door open.

"Will!" Percy yelled, walking toward him in a green and red stripped sweater with a moose on the front.

"Hey, Perc." Will smiled, "That has got to be the ugliest sweater I've seen."

"Just wair 'till you see Leo's!"

"Man, does it light up?"

"Wait and see, wait and see! I didn't know this was your band!"

"Well Zoe's band, we just make the pretty background music."

"You guys really don't like her, do you?"

"She's really controlling, but anyway, I've gotta set up before she starts yelling about how lazy I am."

"Wow, good luck with her."

"We'll need all the luck we can get, see ya 'round Percy, I'll be the one on stage."

"And I'll be wearing my moose sweater." He pressed a button near the hem, and it made a mooing sound.

"Do moose moo?"

"Eh, who cares."

Will shook his head lightly as he walked towards where the others were setting up.

Cecil helped with putting the drum set together while Lou and Lee held the tuner to each other's bass and guitar, Lee coming over to Will to do the same thing.

"Here." Lee put the turner next to the guitar.

"Thank you!"

"So, I see you know the person who booked us, care to share?"

"Hmm? Oh he was the owner of my cat's mom, you know how it is, free kittens and whatnot."

"Obviously."

"We talked a little after that, he gave me some cat advice."

"Ah, you're good." Lee said, pulling himself and the turner away.

Will smiled after his brother and warmed up on his instrument.

"I thought you weren't coming."

~~~Author's Note~~~~

I'm so sorry, it's been forever, I know, but I had sickness, and writer's block, and my computer had a virus, just ugh. I made this one a little shorter because I wanted to put it up as soon as possible. I had written more but I didn't like it very well. Anyway, as you probably guessed, I'm writing a second part for the party in Nico pov, so yay! Thanks for reading! Oh, and If you have suggestions for a band name I'd love to hear it.


	8. Regrets

**Nico**

(**WARNING:** Self-harm in chapter!)

Nico leaned against the wall as he watched Will and his band set up for their performance. He smirked.

Of course Percy chose the one band that had his boyfriend in it, he'd call it a coincidence.

"I thought you weren't coming." He called out as Lee walked away.

Will smiled instantly, that bright smile that put the sun to shame, which was much too contagious in Nico's opinion.

Will put down his instrument and wrapped his arms around Nico when he got close enough. He cautiously looked over his shoulder before turning back to Nico and planting his lips on his.

Nico scrunched up his face slightly at the sudden contact, still not liking being touched. But he melted into the kiss, allowing his arms to lowly encase Will's waist. Breaking contact, Will put his forehead against Nico's, breathing in for a moment.

"I thought you were supposed to act single for Zoe?" Nico reminded.

"She's not looking." He responded, kissing Nico's forehead before pulling back, "But I do have to practice, we have a couple breaks every hour for about ten minutes."

Nico smiled, "I'll be waiting for you."

"But how ever will I find you amongst the crowds?" he pouted.

"I'll be the one in black."

Will shook his head slightly as he walked away, smiling all the while.

Nico put his hands into his hands and faded into the shadowed wall, his dark clothes making it overly simple.

"You guys are really great together."

Nico jumped as the person spoke, he turned around to see Annabeth leaning against the wall in a Yankees baseball cap.

"What's with the cap?"

"It makes me invisible." She said very sarcastically, "My mom gave it to me when I was, like, twelve, I carry it around with me sometimes, I think it's more sentimental to wear it more than anything."

"Ah, so, what did you say?"

She rolled her eyes, "I said, you guys make a great couple, I'm not sure how long it'll last, but-"

Piper cut her off, "She _means _that we both believe that you and Will can make it, not because of _statistics,_ but because you love each other."

"What! We don't- I mean, we haven't been- we're not!"

"Nico, honey, clam down!" Piper spoke, making him calm down, but only slightly.

He caught himself then, he pulled himself together and out back on an emotionless face and voice, "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Whatever, but anyway, Leo invited Calypso."

Nico scoffed, "That should be interesting."

"Jason's gonna start recording as soon as the yelling starts."

"No way."

"I know right? We're going to _mock_ Leo to the end of his existence with this, whatever it is."

"I'm gonna go find Reyna." Nico said, walking away.

"What! Reyna isn't even- Nico!"

Nico smirked as he walked away, he just wasn't in the mood for talking, besides he was thirsty.

He walked into the kitchen where Percy and Hazel were putting several different drinks into punch bowls while Frank wrote labels for them.

"Hey, what kinda drinks do you have?" Nico leaned against the counter, nodding towards the punch bowls.

"Well," Percy held it out, "We have Sprite, Coke, Pepsi, Root Beer, Sunny-D. . . and some weird mix Hazel made."

"It's a secret." Hazel said, "Mom used to make it all the time in New Orleans."

"Right!" Percy said, looking back at Nico, "So what'll it be?"

"Coke." He deadpanned as he sat on one of the stools, accepting the cup when it was given to him, "Thanks."

"Did I do a good job picking a band, or what?"

"Or what." Nico sipped at his drink.

"Oh, c'mon! You get to see your boy-"

"Shh! Their band leader doesn't allow them to date!"

"Then why are you . . . ?"

"A thing? Because according to him, he saw me before the rule was made and therefore doesn't count."

"_Pfft, _are you saying that he called dib's before the rule was made?"

"What? No!"

"Sure." Percy held out the letters, looking over at Hazel with a knowing look which she returned, "He totally called dib's on you before the rules were made."

"He barely knew me!"

"Love at first sight man, it's a thing."

"Maybe for the delirious."

"Oh don't tell us that you, the _Ghost King,_ called over some random person because you decided to be friendly that day!" Hazel put her hands on her hips, leaning forward slightly, like their mom would.

"Well, he was spying on us and I was interrogating him."

"He was just watching a couple of crazies jump in freezing cold water." Percy waved his hand like it was something that would normally happen to them. Which it was, they were always doing something beyond normal.

"You liked him at first glance and vice versa!" Hazel said, arms crossed now.

Nico looked away, drinking his drink, acknowledging its dark color, he didn't realize how dark Coca-Cola really was, like, _really-_ "Okay, fine, maybe I was a little bit somewhat _intrigued _by him, enough to be crazy enough to call him over, for some weird, abnormal reason."

"See!" Percy exclaimed, "Love!"

"I don't know you very well," Frank said, "But let me be frank with you-"he paused, realizing his mistake in wording, "Yes, haha- but back to the subject, you aren't the most sociable person, ever, like, I know dead guys who are more social than you, but the fact that you willingly called some random dude over, it does seem like love at first sight."

"Thanks for being frank with me Frank."

By then, Hazel and Percy were holding their sides from laughing so hard. Nico finished his drink and threw the cup in the trash, noticing Leo coming in the kitchen.

"What did I miss?" He asked, frowning when he didn't get an immediate response, "C'mon! I want to know!"

"Should we tell him, Frank?" Nico asked Frank.

"I don't think we should."

"What!" Leo whined, "So not fair!"

Nico smiled at him in apology, "Should have been here when things were said."

"Okay, at least I know Percy didn't do something stupid like slip on a banana."

"Hey! It was proven on Mythbusters that it's impossible to slip on a banana peel!"

"That's what the government wants you to think!"

"What? No it doesn't"

"That's also what the government what's you to think!"

Then the doorbell rang, signifying that the first guest, or guests, had arrived, early by ten or so minutes.

Nico got up instantly to get it, calling over his shoulder, "I got it!"

He opened the door to Luke and Thalia, he smiled at them both and opened the door wider so they could come in. Annabeth and Thalia instantly collided commenting about how long it had been since they last got together.

That was when the yelling started.

"What the hell are you doing here!" Thalia yelled.

"It is called performing! Something you could not do!" Zoe yelled back, much to everyone's surprise, well almost everyone.

"C'mon, Thals, we don't need to make a scene." Annabeth reasoned, obviously understanding the situation much better than anyone else.

"She ruined everything!"

"No, it wasn't her fault, it was an accident, an unfortunate horrible, accident." Annabeth stressed the word accident.

"C'mon, Thalia," Luke spoke softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "Let's go outside."

He led her away and Annabeth went over to Zoe, apologizing profoundly to her about Thalia.

"Maybe we shouldn't even preform here tonight!" she threatened.

"Oh no, don't do that-!"

"Why shouldn't I!" she glared at Annabeth, than her stare went to Thalia's back, which was visible in the windows.

"Hey," Piper spoke up, speaking softly, "As long Thalia is okay with you staying, and not bothering you, you should be fine, right?"

"Yes, I suppose that would be the best course of action."

"Okay, I'll see if Thalia is also okay with this- course of action."

Piper shook her head slightly as she headed outside, Annabeth on her heels. Nico sneaked over to the dark wall next to the band where Will meet up with him.

"Hey, what was that about?" Nico nodded over to where Zoe was downing a water bottle.

"I'm not really sure, but I know she was in a few bands before us, it's what made her seem like the best choice for a lead singer, you know, experience. My guess is that she tired the same crap on a band Thalia was in that she's pulling on us now, it might have broken up the band. Or completely unrelated to music whatsoever!" Will said.

"I guess that's the best guess."

"I can ask about it later, but she'll probably vent it to us later anyway."

"You should go back before she starts yelling."

"Yeah, your right." Will kissed Nico's forehead before going back to where his little spot was on-stage.

Nico closed his eyes, this was supposed to be fun, right?

Nico was wrong, _horribly_ wrong!

Everything was loud, and there was people everywhere, half of them he'd never seen before, and the only moments he actually enjoyed were the moments against the wall with Will, one time they talked, another time they kissed, the last time they just sat there, leaning on each other. Nico brought him a drink once, and waited quietly another as Will went to use the restroom.

When Will was on-stage, Nico talked to Reyna, who pretty much adopted after getting lost with him in the forest when Percy took them all hiking. He liked Reyna, she tired her best at everything, she was different from Piper, Annabeth, and even Hazel, she tried so hard for everyone, even people she didn't like.

He also spent some time with Jason, who had been the first to know about his crush on Percy. Ever since then, Jason had become somewhat overprotective of Nico. Nico swore that Jason would make him lunch in the morning and tuck him in at night if Hazel gave him a key to the apartment. And Nico was almost happy about it, someone cared so much about him, they would baby him to keep him safe, sure it was annoying, but he was so used to being alone.

It was late when the party ended, most people tired from dancing around and standing, only a few lucky ones got there soon enough to grab a couch cushion. Thalia and Luke left as soon as the band left, and many others filed out after them, not wanting to stay with no music.

Nico was stuck with clean up, brushing to cups on the ground into the plastic bag Jason held open, who was talking about what went on between Leo and Calypso.

"Man, you should have seen it!" Jason laughed, "They didn't even yell at each other! They just glared at each other before she stomped off! It was like they could understand what the other was thinking! Man!"

"Think they'll actually work out?" Nico ask.

"Yeah man, they're perfect for each other!"

"But, they're like ice and fire!"

"But they also balance each other out. Haven't you ever noticed how quiet Leo is after they talk?"

"Yeah . . . ?"

"That's why."

"Because she can shut him up?"

"Yes! Leo's a ball of energy being held in one place by a tool belt, but talking with Calypso, even just looking at her, it almost centers him."

"Hmm, I never looked at it that way. Then why do you think Calypso keeps turning him down?"

"She's waiting for him to grow up." Jason smirked, "I think that's it."

"Yeah, thanks for the helped."

"Anytime!" He said standing up, smiling down at Nico, his glasses falling down his nose slightly. When he didn't reach up to do it himself, Nico reached up and pushed them up himself.

"They were falling off." He reasoned.

"Thanks." He said, ruffling Nico's hair.

"Hey!"

Jason laughed, which in turn made Nico laugh as well, "Okay, let's throw this out so we can leave, I'm tired."

Jason nodded and waited for Nico to throw it out, when he got back Hazel was making conversation with Jason, who was giving them a ride back.

"Let's go!"

The ride back wasn't long and the walk up the stairs into their apartment seemed all too short.

They didn't want to see their mom collapsed on the couch, hand still on a phone, resumes about lawyers spread out on the coffee table, uneaten and now cold food on a food tray, they didn't want to see their mom sorry fading away.

Nico took out his keys unlocking the door and stepping into the still light room, where their mom was still up, on the phone which was more than like someone who could "help".

"Yes of course! . . . No, no I don't think so . . . um, that seems a little much . . . Hello?" Marie turned off the phone with a sigh turning around to see her children, another number already being dialed, "Oh, hello, I didn't think you would be back so soon."

"Come on, mom," Nico said, gently grabbing her arm and trying to pull her away from the mess, "Go to bed."

"Nico, I- Just, one last call, okay? Someone owes me a favor . . . Just one more call." She pleaded, hands grasping at the phone making her knuckles white. Nico nodded.

"I- I'll need to make this on in privacy, please?"

Nico could only nod, "Just eat when your done." He grabbed he untouched food and went to the kitchen, Hazel in tow.

They were both silent as Nico put a wet paper towel over the chicken and Hazel sat on the counter.

"They'll be okay." Nico said almost to himself, saying it over and over again in his head.

He took the meal out as it finished and brought it over to the living room, where he was just going to drop it off and quickly leave, but then he heard his name. And then Bianca's.

"Yes, I adopted your son Nico . . . Yes he's sister's name is Bianca, he was born in Italy with her mother before coming to live with you after her demise- Yes . . . I would only do this to ensure that Nico has a family, one that isn't in debt or in jail because they couldn't pay taxes because off lawyer debt! . . . Yes . . . Wait, what? You mean here? . . . Yes I would like your help . . . Yes, thank you, yes, of course . . . I'll prepare a room." She hung up.

Nico quickly went into the room, put the chicken down on the TV-tray and turned away to leave.

"You heard that?" Marie asked softly, "Didn't you?"

Nico nodded, knowing he couldn't lie to his mom.

"Nico, I-"

"You're just doing what you have to do." He cut her off, walking away. She called after him, but he didn't look back, he walked into his room, locking the door he laid on his bed, he put earphones in his ears turned up the music and laid there.

He knew who his mother called, he just couldn't believe it. How'd she get his number anyway? Why would he agree to help him, he was a disappointment, wasn't he?

He heard knocking at the door and turned up the volume until he couldn't.

Didn't Marie understand how much he wouldn't be able to so much as even look at his father? And she had invited him here, too.

He breathed in some air, he promised himself he wouldn't, he promised Hazel, his mother, but he couldn't, not anymore.

He took out the glass shard from under his pillow, and he hated himself for everything he did after he set the sharpest tip on his pale wrist.

~~~Author's Note~~~

I feel so bad for making Nico like this, but all for the story. I don't really have anything to say about this chapter or the story, but anyway, there you go.


	9. Fight Me

**WILL**

Will laughed as the doctor House made a crude comment to a patient about how what they were doing was stupid. He loved House.

Will looked down at Nico, who sat between his legs, who looked like death warmed over. Well, more than usual. He was paler, the dark bags under his seemed bigger and darker, and he looked sickly thin. Will's concern for Nico when he first arrived brought concern crashing down on Will's mind played-back the moment Nico walked in.

_"__Nico!" Will yelled excitedly, hugging the so much-smaller-than-him boy, smiling his brilliant smile as he looked at Nico's face._

_Nico's sad, depressed face._

_He was pale and looked awful._

_"__Want something to eat? Something to drink?" Will asked, hoping more than anything he could at least give him something filled with calories to give Nico some fat._

_"__No thanks, I just ate."_

Lies, _Will thought, Nico looked like he hadn't eaten for weeks. He tried to lighten the mood by asking for his Christmas plans._

_"__Christmas Eve, Jason, Hazel, Percy, Annabeth, Leo, Piper, Frank, Reyna and myself go to the park with ham sandwiches and exchange gifts, you can come too. And on Christmas, Hazel, mom, and I open presents and have ham for dinner."_

_He didn't sound excited for this whatsoever, but Will just kept on smiling, pretending that nothing was wrong._

_Then he suggested that they watch TV._

He looked down at Nico, who looked like he was fighting off sleep, who leaned against Will's chest, seeming so small, and more importantly, frail. He didn't want to push Nico, always fearing the worst that he would leave, angry at Will for caring too much.

It was a silly fear, but it seemed to happen so often, that if you pushed one ever the edge they wouldn't pull you down with them, but make a fence to keep you away from them. A fence keeping you far away from ever making amends.

He kissed the top of Nico's head, which didn't cause a reaction out of him.

"What's wrong?" He took the chance.

"Nothing, just read late last night." Was Nico's quick excuse.

"Okay, just make sure you get eight hours of sleep every night or-"

"I'm fine, Will, don't baby me." Nico turned around and kissed Will's jaw.

But the kiss seemed forced, not a loving action, just lips being puckered and laid on something.

"I'm not babying you, I'm _doctoring _you, and I say you should get eight hours of sleep every night."

"But-"

"Doctor's orders!"

"You're not technically a doctor yet . . ."

"Hush up! House is on."

Will went back to watching Nico out of the corner of his eye as House was handed another seemingly impossible case.

"You know what?" Will asked, starting another conversation.

"What?" Nico asked, short and bitter.

"I'm getting closer to figuring out the lyrics to that one song I've been having trouble with."

"Haven't you been writing that for forever?" Nico asked, seeming to perk up.

"Not forever, just since October."

"That's, like, four months."

"It's just two months, _almost _three."

"It feels like forever."

"I think it's a love song."

"Ah, did you make it for me?"

"Shut up, I was writing this before I meet you!"

"It was after you meet me that you made it a love song!"

"Don't be so cocky, if I say it's your love song will you be happy?" Will pretended to sound annoyed, but he was glad that the conversation lifted Nico's spirits, even if just a little.

"Maybe."

"Then I'm just gonna have to do whatever I can to make you happy, aren't I?"

"I expect nothing less."

But then the conversation ended, neither having anything else to say. Will thought about saying something, _anything, _to Nico to get him to smile again, and laugh, and just be happy in general. And just as he thought he lost Nico to the never ending pit of sadness, he thought of something.

"Oh! Nico, I just remembered! The other day, in my surgery class, we were preforming fake surgeries on these dummies, right? And I was the head surgeon, and I was easing the stuffed heart back in, but since the professor was shouting out tips and whatnot, he distracted me, and, get this, I put the heart where the stomach was supposed to go! And the professor just goes ballistic!

"He starts lecturing about how if I was an actual surgeon I would have just committed murder! His face was completely red, with a vine popping out and everything! Then he just started balling over how this generation was never gonna make it in the world!"

"Hmm." Nico hummed.

Will sighed out a bit. That was funny, right? It's not every day you saw an old man break out into tears.

But Nico didn't find it funny, and by now, he had already sunk down into his own little pit of despair.

Will sat there for a bit, his eyes flashing between Nico and House, House and Nico. But then he couldn't stand it anymore.

"C'mon, Nico, something's up and you're not telling me what it is."

"Nothing's wrong, I was just-"

"No! I know what it looks like when a person gets depressed, how they act, and right now, you're the prime example of depression!"

Nico stood up then, walking towards the kitchen.

"Nico! C'mon! I care about you! Let me help you!" Will standing up to follow him.

"You can't do anything!"

"I don't see why I can't!"

"I do! And I know you can't!" Nico shouted, his words stinging a it.

"Even if I can't do anything, I could still help you!"

"How! How could you possible help me!"

"You could confined in me and I could comfort you!"

"Oh and what does that do!" Nico was mocking him practically, over trying to help him!

"For some people, getting things off their chest helps! It's easier when two people hold each other up!"

"I don't need anyone else!"

"I think you do!"

"Why? Because you're a doctor and can do doctor things? Well you can't, Will! You aren't even a doctor yet!"

"I _still _know more about what's best for you than you do!"

"I don't think you do!"

"You think you're alone in this, but they're not! You have me, and so many other people who care about you and would do anything for you!" Will augured back.

"No one has felt the pain I've felt and am feeling now-"He cut himself off.

"What do you mean by that? Nico, what's going on!"

"Nothing!"

"Tell me so I can help!"

"You can't help! No one can!"

Then he ran out.

Opening the door to a startled Lou Ellen holding grocery bags saying, "Oh hey Nico, leaving so-"but got cut off as Nico pushed her out of his way and into a full sprint.

"Nico!" Will yelled, running after him, not paying attention to Lou Ellen cursing at them both for their rudeness.

Will ran to the stairs, running down them three at a time, hearing Nico's footfalls, but never catching up with him.

He ran outside, keeping his eyes locked on Nico as rain fell and people seemed to close around them both.

But then he lost him. Whether he crossed to street and didn't see, went into the subway, he didn't know or see.

He looked around franticly, trying to find such a small boy in a crowd of varying heights and sizes. Crowds of pushing and shoving people going somewhere in a hurry, always going somewhere, and always in a hurry.

He looked in stores to see if Nico ran into one, and down alleys, and across the street, but nothing. He lost Nico, in the middle of an argument, in the rain, nowhere to be seen.

He wondered if this was what Nico's friends went through the first time they tried to get the feelings out of Nico. It was probably worse if Nico was less mature then he was now, and running out on an argument seemed pretty childish for the guy who skipped a grade.

"Damnit." Will cursed, turning around to head back to his apartment, to help Lou with groceries.

He walked back sluggishly, he didn't like fighting.

He didn't like the horrible feeling growing in the pit of his stomach.

The way he got so mad at Nico, so loud.

He trudged back into the lobby, into the elevator, and into his apartment, where he didn't hear Lou still yelling at him.

He put away the groceries, apologies running through his head, where or not calling Nico would actually work.

"What's wrong?" were the words that broke through to him.

He looked up at Lou saying, "I pushed him over the edge."

Lou gave him a sad smile and asked him to explain.

Dinner was quite as Lou Ellen whispered what happened into Cecil's ear, his expression never changing.

Will barely eat, and when he was "Finished", he jumped up and started calling Nico again, well, leaving messages.

"Hey, Nico! Look, we need to talk, please?"

"Nico, c'mon, don't leave me all alone! You don't have to tell me what's wrong, but you can at least let me apologize."

"Look, I know I was pushing boundaries, up I was just trying to look out for you!"

What seemed like hundreds of calls like those went out to Nico.

It wasn't until midnight, when Will was still calling and pacing, pacing and calling, and Lou Ellen came out in her pajamas and told him to go to bed.

"But, Nico-"

"Will still be there to not answer the phone tomorrow." She grabbed his phone which he held limply at his side, "Time for bed."

~~~~Author's Note~~~~

I'm making Nico's life horrible for a reason, just hold on, there's going to be a lot more painful stuff for Nico to go through before he gets his happily ever after. Sorry this one is so short! ^^


End file.
